JT Torres celebrates a victory at last year’s BJJ Mundials, when he was a brown belt.

JT Torres has one thing on his mind at the 2010 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championship this weekend in Long Beach, California: helping Team Lloyd Irvin earn a team tropy by earning a gold medal in the black belt lightweight division. Torres knows that the road to the podium will not be easy. Also vying for the gold are monsters like Lucas Lepri (Alliance) and Bruno Amorim (Gracie Barra). Among other titles, Lepri won the IBJJF’s 2009 New York Open, and Amorim defeated Torres last year at the 2009 BJJ World Championships to earn the gold medal in the brown belt lightweight division.

But Torres has his sights set on two other competitors above all: Gilbert Burns (Atos) and Michael Langhi (Alliance). In a conversation this week with the FightWorks Podcast, Torres said:

Those are the two rematches I really want. They are THE guys. They are going to be number 1 and 2 seeds. I’ve fought them both. I lost to both of them by two advantages. This is my time to shine. I want to show that I am on their level. I can beat them or better than them. When I win the Worlds I want it to be because I beat the best.

Torres and the rest of Team Lloyd Irvin have been working hard to get ready for the World Championship. Torres shared that they’ve been training 3 times per day Monday through Thursday. When you include the work they do every day except Sunday, there is over 8 hours of just drilling per week. Leading them every day is Lloyd Irvin himself.

If Torres’ recent performances are any indicator, he has a good shot at reaching the podium this weekend. In 2010 alone, he’s won:

third place at the European BJJ Championship

NY Open lightweight and absolute divisions

second place at the Brazilian National BJJ Championship

Torres’ first match on Saturday will be against the winner of the match between Peter Sutton (Stable Jiu-Jitsu) and Paulo Guillobel (Gracie Humaita). Be sure to watch the action live on BudoVideos.com/online, and tune in to the live blogging we will be doing right here on TheFightWorksPodcast.com!